There are cases where an answer will no longer be collected within a flow, but it still has dependencies. For instance, you might delete a `date` question that collects a user's date of birth, however there is a [calculated variable](/response-data-collection-and-management/variable-schema/calculated-answers.md) function that requires that `date` input to calculate an age.
In this case, the `date` answer will remain in the flow as an **orphaned** answer.
{% hint style="info" %}
Generally, you don't want to have orphaned answers. We're working to make it harder and harder to generate them within flows.
{% endhint %}
## Resolving orphaned answers
### Re-use variable
### Deleting orphaned variables
In order to delete an orphaned variable, you must remove it from any dependencies or "uses" it may have.
Using the example at the top of this section, the `date` question that collects a dob would need to be removed as an input to the calculated variable that outputs an age.
Once you see that **uses** are at 0, you will have the option to delete the variable.
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